\i)\ o'mlvr 11, |Mv|
Opinion
MEDIA ISSUES:
Incomplete Reporting Ruins Admirable Effort
Editor's Note: The Media Is
sues committee is a sub-committee
of Carolina Association of Black
Journalists (CABJ). The purpose of
the committee is to probe the media
for accurate and fair coverage cf
minority issues. The committee
promises to look for and examine
both good and bad aspects of Tri-
angle-area newspaper coverage.
This year, The Daily Tar Heel
has reflected a great effort to ex
plore topics relating to the experi
ences of minorities. Their Oct. 16
article “Interracial Relationships
Weather Slurs, Survive Despite
Criticism from Both Sides,” ad
dressed an issue that has long de
served attention. Unfortunately, the
coverage of this topic was unbal
anced, and neglected essential facts.
The image of black women
portrayed in the article presented a
major problem. The lead stated,
“Some litde stringy-haired, pale,
skinny, jeans-wearing, T-shirt rag
gedy — why would you prefer her
to a beautiful black sister? I
shouldn’t have to compete with a
white woman for my black man.”
This inflammatory lead was attrib
uted to no one. The fact that the
reporter, Mara Lee, did not attribute
it to anyone suggested that all black
women feel this way. In a telephone
interview, Lee explained that she
heard the remark during a class
discussion on interracial dating.
Even though many black women do
voice similar opinions to the one
expressed in Lee’s lead paragr^h,
we wcMider if the reporter could not
have located white females who are
also exposed to interractial dating.
The reporter, responding to these
concerns, explained that a lot of
people refused to explicitly say they
See INCOMPLETE, page 7
DTH, Black Ink
Stir Racial Ten
sion
Editor's note: The authors, Anthony
DollandTracyKirincich, are presi
dent and vice president respectively
of the Carolina Athletic Associa
tion.
To the editor:
In his letter to the editor (“Col
umnists’ writing promotes white-
bashing” on Oct. 31), Gus Keane
clearly stales that discrimination
goes both ways. He points out that
“white bashing is acceptable these
days, but it gets old, real quick.”
Well, it’s a little old guys!
Myron Pitts clearly spurred ra
cial tension in his editorial “Trying
to Stop an African Queen?” in fl/aci
Ink on OcL 28,1991. His failure to
get all of the facts has started the
typical chain reaction. Yes, it is
unfortunate that a very capable and
sincere person, Cherie Smith, was
initially cut from the Homecoming
interviews. But, as correctly noted
in theDTT/ editorial “Wielding Race
as a Weapon” on Nov. 1,1991, the
criteria for advancement is based
on academic record, extra-curricu-
lar activities, honors and essay. If
Ms. Smith could not correctly sell
herself and her activities to the
committee, then it is not the job of
the Carolina Athletic Association
to be aware of every office that
every person holds. Plain fact; Ms.
Smith’s application was not pre
sented to correctly describe the
significance of her activities.
We feel sorry for those of you
who misquoted sources or failed to
get the facts. A sincere apology is
owed directly to Cherie, who unfw-
tunately got her name dragged into
this mess. I (Tracy) met Cherie and
felt a need to apologize to her for the
sensationalism that student news
papers felt the need to create. Hope
fully, the rest of the campus is not as
insincere as the DTH and Black Ink
have been. We do not know if Cherie
felt as if her chances to win Home
coming Queen were reduced be
cause of the past two queens which
happen to be black, but I (Tracy)
highly doubt it after talking with her
after her crowning.
I (Tracy) have likewise met
Laura Anderson, last year’s queen,
and can honestly say that she, like
Cherie, was qualified. Both of these
women, prior to their crowning, had
to be directly exposed to ignorant
people who only saw skin color or
an opportunity to write a fiery ar
ticle. The DTH editorial was cor
rect to recognize the potency of the
label “racist,” but it does nothing to
decrease the amount of tension;
instead they increase it through poor
journalism.
Finally, we feel the DTH and
Black Ink should reconsider their
information-gathering methods
before pointing the finger at other
organizations. Look at the positive
aspects of the CAA and know the
facts before calling the CAA “spine
less” (DTH, Nov. 1). Reevaluate
the CAA: we sponsored cross cul
tural night, co-sponsored the step
show with the Black Greek Council
for which all of the profits went to
the Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural
Center, and have made a genuine
effort to incOTporate all minority
groups in Homecoming. Having
worked with Amie Epps, Black
Student Movement p-esident, to
prepare events during the NCAA
basketball tournament, we can
clearly state that there was sincerity
and cooperation between Amie and
the CAA to benefit the University.
Nothing has changed since then.
Our only hope for the future is
that in the attempt to fill the pages of
the paper, you do not hurt and ma
lign innocent people and organiza
tions.
Tracy Kirincich
Junior
Computer Science
Anthony Doll
Junior
Visual Communications
Wonderboy
Needs an Oppos
ing Viewpoint
To the editcff:
I’m flipping through my very
own, greatly-appreciated, copy of
Black Ink, when, on the back page
(Thank God), I spy that goofy-look-
ing black (?) comic book character
with the flat top/EMS combo (That’s
Eddie Munster Special, if you re
ally want to know). Once again, I
have the pleasure of reading about
how shallow and stereotypical all
we “sista’s” are, according to
Wonderboy, the columnist from
Hell. Adorning the top of the page,
such catchy (and I use the term
loosely) titles like, “Hmm...Yes, He
Looks Good, but Can He Act?,” or,
my personal favwite, “Hmm...Do
Dope Cars Denote Dollars?” can be
found. Okay people, where in the
world of science fiction do you get
this boy? Orbetteryet, “Hmm...Yes,
he’s in jHint, but can he write?”
I don’t mean to sound like a
product of the establishment, but
first of all, the boy’s grammar has
got to go! I mean really, I know he’s
trying to sound all straight out the
hood and what not, but it sounds
fake. And what’s worse, I know
where he (his alter-ego John
McCann) comes from, and it’s a far
cry fix)m Compton. Notwithstand
ing the fact that the brother is sim
ply trying too hard, let’s take a look
at his major concerns.
In his first effort, “...Do Dope
Cars Denote Dollars?” he speaks of
the shallow mentality of all black
women in their concerted effort to
find a man who will pay them for
their time and chauffeur them
around in nice cars. Yeah. In his
second attempt, “...Yes, He Looks
Good, But Can He Act?” he criti
cizes black women for their unani
mous opinion that Christopher
Williams can act his a— off ‘cause
“He looks gooood!” Hello? Reality
check. Do high-priced ho’s and loud,
fat, black girls in movie theaters
speak for all of us? I think not. And
if Wonderboy speaks for black
males in general, I feel sorry for all
those poor individuals who, like
Wonderboy, appear to be getting
dissed on a regular basis and feel
the need to blame it on everything
except their own inadequacies—or
arrogance.
It must be nice for Mr. Boy to
be able to write with no opposition
whatsoever. Heaven fcM-bid some
one else should punch holes in his
tissue paper theories., or wwse yet,
be a better writer. In these days of
PC, why not print a female view
point, perhi^s equally as offensive?
For example: “Hmm...Does a Fat
Bootie Bear a Brain?” or
“Hmm...Does a Fat Bootie Equal
Ecstasy?” Oh, I’m sorry, I know
you guys look at the face too. Well,
how about, “Yes, She Has Light
Skin and Long Hair, but Can She
Sing?” or “Do Light Skin, Long
Hair and a Fat Bootie...” well, I
could be here all day, but you get the
idea, all those pertinent issues so
important to our black men.
I certainly hope my views are
not original, as I’m sure I’m not the
only black woman who feels this
way. At least consider this idea, lest
you be considered, I hesitate to use
the word, chauvinist.
Karen Greene
Sophomore
Biology